Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Mid-American Conference Tournament #7 Bowling Green
Cardinals Begin Title Defense as No. 2 Ball State Faces No. 7 Bowling Green in MAC Tourney Quarterfinals Wednesday
March 10, 2026 | Women's Basketball
Ball State will play at approximately 4 pm ET or 30 minutes following quarterfinal game No. 2 Wednesday at Rocket Arena
| No. 2 Ball State vs. No. 7 Bowling Green | Mid-American Conference Tournament Quarterfinals | Cleveland, Ohio | Rocket Arena | |
| Game 32 versus No. 7 seed Bowling Green | Wednesday, March 11 at approximately 4 pm ET | Cleveland, Ohio. | Rocket Arena |
| Gameday Info         | Live Stats | ESPN+ | Listen | Tickets | Bracket | Rocket Arena | MAC Tournament Central |
| Game Notes and Media Info | Ball State | Bowling Green |
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It's MAC Tournament Time:
- The last time Ball State and Bowling met in the Mid-American Conference Tournament was in the semifinal round in 2023. The Falcons defeated the Cardinals that year by a score of 70-61.Â
- Ball State and Bowling Green have met a total of 76 times in program history with the Falcons leading the all-time series record, 48-29. In their last meeting in Worthen Arena, the Cardinals defeated the Falcons on Feb. 14, 2026 by a 82-67 decision.
- With the win against Toledo on March 7, the Cardinals claimed a share of the 2026 Mid-American Conference regular season title for the second-straight season. It marks the first time in program history Ball State has won back-to-back regular season crowns. Ball State will enter this week's MAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed in Cleveland. The last time the Cardinals entered tourney play as the No. 2 seed was in 2024.Â
- The Cardinals continue to be a staple of March Madness in the MAC, securing their 36th program appearance in the conference tournament. Ball State's dominance is especially clear over the last quarter-century, having advanced to Cleveland for 24 of the past 26 seasons. With an all-time tournament record of 27–33, the team has fought their way to seven championship games, ultimately crowning their efforts with titles in 2009 and 2025. Under head coach Brady Sallee, the Ball State women's basketball team has made it to Cleveland for the MAC Tournament 11 times, including reaching the championship game in 2014, 2022, and 2025. The 2025 championship was a historic milestone, marking Sallee's first conference tournament title in 21 years of head coaching and the program's first since 2009.
- Ball State head coach Brady Sallee owns a 11-11 overall Mid-American Conference Tournament mark. The last time the Cardinals reached the final game was in 2025 when Ball State defeated Toledo, 65-58.
- Ball State owns a 7-2 record in the 2025 MAC Tournament bracket. The two losses for the Cardinals game against top-seeded Miami (OH).
- A Cardinal win will send Ball State to the semifinal round for the fifth-straight season. The second-seeded Cardinals will play the winner of quarterfinal game No. 4 against the No. 3 seed UMass or the No. 6 seeded Toledo Rockets. Ball State defeated UMass at home this season and swept the home-away series against Toledo.
Back-to-Back 16 MAC Wins:
This seasons 16 Mid-American Conference wins for Ball State ties a program record for most league victories in a season. The Cardinals achieved that same goal the last three years - 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26.Â
Ball State vs. UMASS/Toledo Semifinal Round:
If Ball State were to face UMass in the semifinals Friday it will be its first-ever meeting in tourney play. The Cardinals and the Rockets have met a total of eight times. Although, Toledo owns a 6-2 record in tourney play versus Ball State the Cardinals have won their last two meetings:
2025 Championship: Ball State defeated Toledo 65–58 to win their second-ever MAC Tournament title.
2022 Semifinals: Ball State upset top-seeded Toledo 71–66.
Where We Rank in the MAC:
Ball State remains at the top of the charts in assists per game (19.6),assist/turnover ratio (1.14), field goal percentage (46.3), field goal percentage defense (36.9), defensive rebounds per game (31.2), rebounds per game (44.52), scoring offense (79.3) and winning percentage (80.6).
International Success:
The Cardinals have had plenty of international success under 14th year head coach Brady Sallee. We all remember Nathalie Fontaine the 6-2 guard from Stockholm, Sweden became Ball State's all-time leading scorer with 2,166 points. The 2016 MAC Player of the Year and AP honorable mention averaged 21.0 points per game and 10.2 rebounds while making over 50 percent of her shots. After Fontaine was Carmen Grande a native from Madrid, Spain who held onto the all-time assists record with 697 until Ally Becki surpassed her last season with 721 and we also cannot forget Thelma Dis Agustsdottir from Keflavik, Iceland who holds the all-time 3-point record with 325 treys. Agustsdottir also competed at the Celsius 3-point championship at the NCAA Tournament.
Scouting Bowling Green:
- The Falcons are a scrappy, defensive-minded unit that relies on high-energy guard play. After the loss in Muncie to the Cardinals the Falcons went 4-1 with wins over Western Michigan, Toledo, Ohio and Northern Illinois. The other loss came against Central Michigan.Â
- Paige Kohler (14.7 PPG) is the primary scorer, while Johnea Donahue is a defensive disruptor. Donahue ranks 3rd in the nation in steals (4.19 SPG) and has already set a school record with over 110 steals this season. Bowling Green leads the MAC in fast-break points (14.1 PPG), which will be critical for overcoming Ball State's set defense.
- Bowling Green State University women's basketball holds an all-time record of 48–30 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament and has won 11 titles more than any MAC institution.
- In the most recent 2025 tournament, BGSU fell to Buffalo in a close 65–63 quarterfinal matchup. Historically, their last conference tournament title came in 2011.
Brady Sallee Top 50 in the Nation:
Brady Sallee is one of 50 active coaches in DI women's basketball that has won 400 or more career victories. Among the Mid-American Conference currently, Sallee ranks first overall and while having the highest career winning percentage in the MAC.
In the Nation:
The Cardinals are ranked in the top 50 in the nation in these categories: The Cardinals ranked 4th in defensive rebounds (31.2), fifth in rebounds per game (44.52), sixth in assists per game (19.6), eighth in rebounding margin (10.2), 19th in scoring offense (79.3), 21st in field goal percentage (46.3), 27th in winning percentage (80.6), 27th in field goal defense (36.9), 40th in scoring margin (13.3) and 42nd in assist/turnover ratio (1.14).
More Tournament Facts:
- Ball State head coach Brady Sallee owns a 11-11 overall Mid-American Conference Tournament mark.
- In the 35 years of the tournament, the top seed has won the title 23 times. In 2016, the Buffalo Bulls became the lowest seed (#8) to ever advance to the tournament championship game and the highest seed to ever win the title. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have met 17 times in the championship game, with the top seed winning 15 times.
- The last time Ball State was the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament was in 2024. That year the Cardinals defeated the seventh-seeded Ohio Bobcats by a score of 77-53 before falling to No. 3 Kent State in the semifinals, 65-50.
- If the Cardinals win this year's Mid-American Conference Tournament title it will be the first time a MAC institution has won back-to-back championships since 2010 and 2011 when the Bowling Green Falcons achieved the goal.
- MAC Tournament Titles: The Cardinals have won two MAC tournament championships, first in 2009 and most recently in 2025.
- NCAA Tournament Success: In their first-ever NCAA appearance (2009), as a #12 seed, they made history by defeating #5 seed Tennessee, 71–55. This was the first time the Lady Vols ever lost in the first round of the tournament.
- Recent Dominance: Under head coach Brady Sallee, the team has achieved at least 20 wins for five consecutive seasons (2022–2026).
Key Coaching & Player FUN Facts
Winningest Coach: Brady Sallee (2012–Present) is the program's all-time leader in wins, surpassing Tracy Roller in 2018.
First WNBA Draft Pick: Tamara Bowie (1999–2003) was the first player in MAC history to be selected in the WNBA Collegiate Draft.
2026 Honors: Graduate transfer Bree Salenbien and Tessa Towers were both named to the All-MAC First Team for the 2025–26 season. Ball State was the only team to have two players earn All-MAC First Team honors.
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